Box-ending machine.



J. P. BIRD. BOX ENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR.27, 1909.

Patented July 12; 1910.

' ZSHEETB-SHEET 1.

J. P. BIRD.

IBDX ENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAI-1.27, 1909.

Patented July 12, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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JAMES PHILIP BIRD, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

BOX-ENDING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 12, 1910.

Application filed March 27, 1909. Serial No. 486,135.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMns P111111 Brno, citizen of the United States,residing at Plainfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box-EndingMachines, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to box-ending machines, such, for examples, asshown in United States Patents No. 364,161, to Cushman; N 0. 423,415, toDamren, and No. 515,207, to Glazier.

Prior to my invention, the platens of boxending machines have beenprovided, on their under surfaces, with relatively narrow tension-platesthat extend from front to back of the platens, between the righthand andleft-hand sides thereof. In all prior constructions known to me, thesetensionplates when of spring-like construction are apt either to buckleor to bend between their ends; and, in some constructions, tip endwise(or become so tipped during the operation of the machines), when thebox-end carrier moves forward with a boX-end on it and first brings thebox-end into contact with the rear, under margin of the tensionplate.Such buckling, bending and otherwise tipped position of thetension-plates are obyectionable because interfering with the properplacing or registration of the box-ends as they are successively carriedfrom the box-end hopper by the box-end carrier or feeding-blade toregistering position between the under side of the platen and theinturned flanges of the paper boX- body, such flanges, when inregistering position, resting on the two side walls and on the frontwall of the box-form, whether it is a recessed box-form or a solid one.Either the buckling or the endwise tipped position of the tension-plateresults in tipping the box-end from its proper, continuously horizontal,path of movement, and thereby frequently tips the rear edge of thebox-end out of its abutting contact with a transverse abutment on theupper surface of the boxend carrier. Whenever, in the operation ofmachines of this class, the rear edge of the box-end, during its forwardtravel, gets out of engagement with the transverse abutment or the likeof the boX-end-carrier, the pro er operation of the machine isinterfered with v and the box-end piece fails to register properly, atthe completion of the forward movement of the boX-end-carrier. Hence oneoperation of the machine is often lost, and a defective box produced. Ateach mis-registration, or, if the imperfectly registered boxend is takenofl' from the box-flanges by the operator, then the machine has tocomplete another cycle of operations before properly applying a box-endto the box-body flanges 1n proper register.

l/Vhile it is not broadly new with me to combine a platen and tensionplate with the front end of the tension-plate removed inwardly from thefront edge of the platen so as to leave the under front margin of theplaten continuously solid in its opposition to the upper surface of thefront upper margin or wall of the box-form, my invention permits of thishighly desirable arrangement, whereby, during the compressing operationof the machine, the front upper margin of the box-end is continuouslyand uniformly pressed against the thereto opposed inturned flanges ofthe box-body.

In carrying out my invention, the tensionplate is preferably made of arigid block, so that it can neither buckle nor bend in the operation ofthe machine; and it is so mounted in the platen as to be capable ofup-anddown movement therein. Nevertheless, my new tension-plate isloosely mounted, so that, at the initial contact with it of theforwardly moving box-end, the rear end portion of the tension-platemoves momentarily upward, thus "slightly depressing its front end, butthis movement from the proper horizontal position is almost instantlyovercome and the tension-plate restored to horizontal position by theaction of the forwardly moving box-end on the plate and the therewithconnected leveling mechanism hereinafter set forth.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view, partly inside elevation and partly in lengthwise section on line 11 of Fig. 2, ofone form of box-ending machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is atop-plan view, on a smaller scale, of the platen and hopper, and of apart of the lengthwise reciprocating feed-slide or boxend-carrier withwhich the machine is provided. Fig. 3 is a view partly in elevation andpartly in section, at a line corresponding to line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4is a sectional view of the platen, at line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and shows thetension-plate and its 7 automatically operating leveling mechanism inelevatlon, the tenslon-plate belng 1n its lower posltlon. Flg. 5 1s as1m1lar v1ew,

showing the tension-plate in its higher poplicable to box-endingmachines wherein the box-form and platen are relatively movable towardand from each other. The usual boxend hopper H is mounted at the rear ofthe platen, and the box-end carrier or feed-slide S is mounted, asusual, so as to be reciprocated beneath the body of the hopper to carryone box-end m from the bottom of the pile X of separate end blanks underthe platen and into registering position with the inturned flanges of abox-body when the flanges are placed on the front and two adjacent uppermargins of the box-form. The usual pasting mechanism for applying pasteto three margins of the under side of each boX-end is not shown,'but 3indicates a part spring 16 is mounted.

of mechanism for reciprocating carrier S.

To carry out my invention in its preferred form, the platen is recessedat 4: be-

tween its front and back portions and midway between its sides, on itsunder surface,

for reception of the preferably rigid tension-plate T the under surfaceof which is best provided with lengthwise extending ribs 5 to reduce thefriction between the platen and a forwardly moving box-end in contactwith it. Tension-plate T is freely movable up and down in recess 4: soas to quickly respond to the movements imparted to it in the operationof the machine, and is attached to the lower upset ends 6 of a pair ofupright studs 7 which pass freely through apertures in the platen andare jointed at 8 to the lower arms of a pair of bell-cranks 9 pivoted at10 to uprights 11 on the platen. The upper arms of the bell-cranks areconnected by a rod 12 which is jointed to the bell-cranks at 13, 13. Rod12 is provided with an adjustable collar 14, between which and a loosecollar 15 on rod 12, a coiled Collar 15 rests against the rear side of astop-post 15 on the platen.

'When carrier S moves the lowermost box-end 00 from the stack, thetransverse shoulder Y of the carrier is in engagement with the rear edgeof the box-end, and should continue in such engagement during theforward or feeding stroke of the carrier in order .to effect therequired registration above explained. As the box-end is carriedforward, its upper front margin engages the .rear end of thetension-plate, the bottom of which, in this position of the machine andat the time of such initial contact, is slightly below the level of theunder side of the platen and slightly below the level of the upperisideof the box-end, so that the latter may frictionally engage the tensionplate at its said initial movement. To facilitate such initialengagement, the rear end of the tension-plate is beveled upwardly at 17.

WVhen the advancing box-end first positively engages plate T, the rearend of the plate is instantly lifted, but such movement carries theupper arm of the rearward bellcrank forwardly (against the resistance ofspring 16) and pushes the upper arm of the forward bell-crank forwardly,thereby raising the forward stud 17 and restoring the platen to theproper horizontal position which it only'momentarily lost at the initialpositive contact :of theadvancing box-end with the rear end of thetension-plate. The box-end is thus correctly held during its-advancingmovement, and its rear edge prevented from rising above shoulder Y ofthe carrier S. At the proper or desired time, in relation to thepressing operation, carrier S is retracted, and as it moves rearwardly,the tension of spring 16 moves rod 12 rearwardly until the tension-plateis restored to its lower position.

Collar 14 is best made adjustable, as indicated by set-screw 18, on rod12, so that the tension of spring 16 may be regulated according to thestiffness of the spring to adjust the automatically operating mechanismof the tension-plate to box-ends of different thicknesses or quality.

The tension-plate and its automatic equal izing or adjusting mechanismmay be constructed otherwise than as shown without departure from myinvention.

What I claim is 1. A box-ending machine comprising a platen and boxform, one movable in relation to the other; a reciprocable hon-endcarrier; a box-end hopper for said carrier and in operative relationthereto; a tensionplate carried by the platen and vertically.

and bodily movable in relation to the under surface of the platen; andmeans for automatically causing the entire plate to adjust itselfvertically when pressure is applied at any point of its under surface. i

2. A box-ending machine platen in combination with a tension plate;means for automatically causin the entire plate to ad just itselfvertically when pressure is applied at any one of its under surfaces.

3. A box-ending machine platen in combination with a rigid tens1on.plate and means for automatically causing the entire plate to adjust.itself vertically when .pres sure is applied .to. its rearward part vbya forwardly 'moving box-end on the box-end carrier, and said carrier.

4:- The combination of the platen with the tension-plate; a pair ofbell-cranks pivotally connected with the platen; connections between thetension-plate and arms of the bell- 5 cranks; a rod connecting the otherarms of the bell-cranks; and a spring and abutments therefor.

5. The combination of the platen with the tension-plate; a pair ofbell-cranks pivotally 10 connected with the platen; connections betweenthe tension-p1ate and arms of the bellcranks; and a rod. connectingother arms of the bell-cranks.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES PHILIP BIRD.

Witnesses:

EDWARD S. BEACH, F. E. NARES.

